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Screw the Scale is the New Screw Skinny

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Earlier in 2017, I created a program called “Screw Skinny“. This 8-week in-person program offered through Hot Mama Health & Fitness combines fitness education, workouts and self-love exercises. The goal? Help women learn to love their bodies through fitness and what we call “Love Yourself More” exercises. We’ve recently finished the first 8-week session and to say feedback has been incredible is an understatement. It went far beyond my wildest expectations. 

We first launched a trailer video for Screw Skinny that involved interviews with women talking about stepping off the scale, not defining their worth by numbers and, literally, taking sledgehammers to their scale. I must say the day of filming this video was one of the most powerful days I’ve experienced in my life and I am so grateful to everyone who was involved in that very first day of bringing my vision of Screw Skinny to life.

That day of filming culminated in a 9-minute Screw Skinny video. I hope you take the time to watch it because the women in it are PHENOMENAL and have a lot of good things to say. 

 

But, an interesting thing happened after I launched the video. I started getting feedback that I was “skinny-shaming” or “skinny-bashing”. And, while yes, good marketing and programs are supposed to start conversations (which is exactly why I named the program Screw Skinny), I’m also open to conversations and feedback. I truly do listen to people (probably to a fault at this point) who reach out and connect with me. Well, as long as it’s done in a respectful and non-assholey, non-trolly way (know what I mean?!). 

Let me be the first to say that I stand by the name “Screw Skinny“. I won’t be removing or editing the video we did, nor will I be changing the graphics on any social media posts we’ve previously posted. I also won’t apologize for a name that I truly believe in. I will, however, listen openly to feedback and consider opinions, options and suggestions. And yes, I have decided to change the name of our Screw Skinny program to Screw the Scale for our ONLINE program. 

Why? Because I get it. I understand. And, I appreciate people taking the time to respectfully reach out to me and have an open and honest dialogue with me. 

So, what really made me change the name? While I do stand by “Screw Skinny” and I do love the conversations I’ve had with others, the ENTIRE POINT of the name is to stop giving words like “skinny” so much power, it’s really more about stepping off the scale. So, why even bring the word into it. 

Why? Because…again…it start conversations and it allows us to have a platform to talk about loving our bodies no matter what. Skinny, fat (yeah, I said it), fit, unfit, wiggly, jiggly, lean, cut…whatever the heck word you choose…I want to take the power away from descriptive and ridiculous words. BUT…I am one person with one small soap box. So, I’ve accepted the fact that I can continue to have conversations with people using different words.

Screw the scale, not screw skinny. 

Will it be as impactful? Yeah…friggin’ rights it will. Screw the Scale is just as catchy and I won’t be told that I’m skinny-shaming anyone.

Here’s what actually got me to change the name. I had a woman message me and ask me to reconsider the name. I asked her why and that I think the name started conversations. She agreed. She liked what I was doing. But, she asked me to consider how a knobby-kneed 14-year old would regard the messaging “Screw Skinny”. Is she going to take the time to watch the video and really understand the purpose, or is she going to just see the graphic and think “My body is skinny, so screw me”? 

Yikes.

Now that…that didn’t sit well. As I battle for women to love themselves. To accept one another and love one another NO MATTER WHAT. As I try to change the way women look at their bodies and at fitness, that comment stuck with me. I would never, ever in my entire life want someone to be made to feel less than because of a campaign I’m spearheading. I had to sit with it for awhile. I had to ponder and think. But, my gut, my heart, my head all begged me to change the name. So, I have. 

I want to empower and inspire and motivate all women, teens and young girls to appreciate and love the vessel they have that takes them through their lives. No matter what the scale says, they have strength, power and beauty within their body. So, “skinny” has nothing to do with it. 

I want to have conversations with women about loving and honouring their bodies and I do realize the power and influence I have, so I need to ensure the influence I’m putting out sits well within my own self and is a positive one for all women.

While I want women to step outside their comfort zones and actually talk about their powerful bodies I cannot do it if I have this little niggle in my heart. Knowing that I may affect a young girl in a negative way, that my words could impact someone in the exact opposite of my goal, well now…that’s something to really think about, isn’t it?  

There’s really only one way I can continue with this full-on battle against negative self-talk and body-loathing. I must change the words I use. Words have so much power and it’s an uphill battle to convince most women (not all, I know this) that they’re so much more than their stupid morning weigh-ins.  

I’m certain I will be throwing out my body-loving sword for years and decades to come, but I’m here and I’m committed to the good fight. I so desperately want you to stop and assess the power and strength of your body. But, it’s about stepping off the scale, not putting down the shape of a body. So y’all…Screw the Scale is the new Screw Skinny. 

Same program. Same goals: stop, reflect and love the strength and power you have in your body.Different name. 

You’re more than you give yourself credit for. Your body is beautiful and it does amazing things for you every single day of your life. It’s time to learn that, remember that and love yourself. You are not a number. You are strength and power. 

Screw the scale.

*Our online version of Screw the Scale in launching May 4th…stay tuned!*

005 – Workout Episode – Tempo Tabata

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ask and ye shall receive! I’ve been asked repeatedly to do another workout episode, so here’s the latest and greatest. But not really…because all the workout podcasts are fun and challenging, non?! Today’s workout is about 25 minutes long and is full of super fun tabata blocks! YAY! So, grab your water bottle, tie up your sneakers and join me in this fabulous HIIT workout. You’ll sweat, you’ll swear and when you’re finished you’ll feel amazing. Of that, I am certain.

Get to it, Mamas. It’s time to rock your at-home workout! Better yet…grab your kiddos and get them to participate with you! That’s right…fitness CAN be a family affair. Enjoy!

Off you go! 

When Sledgehammers Meet Scales, Magic Happens

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How can I possibly capture the emotional moments of women unleashing their strength and power in writing? It’s daunting and overwhelming, but I’m going to try to give justice to the energy and love that was felt during the Hot Mama Scale Bash Celebrations. 

It was last summer that I woke at 3am with the idea of creating a program where I combined fitness, fitness education and self-love exercises to help women learn to accept and love their bodies as they are. I landed on finally calling the “self-love” exercises “Love Yourself More” and they’re an integral part of our 8-week Screw the Scale (previously Screw Skinny) program. It is the combination of fitness and Love Yourself More exercises that make this program completely different than anything you’ve ever tried before.

I also thought it would be ridiculously amazing to offer an event where women could take back their power from the scale by bashing it with a sledgehammer. I wanted to give women the opportunity to smash (literally) a piece of equipment that has more often than not created heartache, self-loathing and body image despair. So, I created our Scale Bash Celebrations where we literally take a sledgehammer to scales and unleash the power we have within ourselves.

I saw a void in the fitness industry and I wanted to create a new, ground-breaking, self-loving fitness program. A lot of people workout to look better, fit into their jeans or lose a designated amount of weight. And, unfortunately, we’re heading into a season where we’re about to be inundated with getting “bikini-body ready”. That kills me. Every time. I needed to change that. 

Think about it: does the fitness program you’re currently on remind you to love your body? I’d hazard a guess that for the most part, that’s not the focus.

So, what about the work that has to go into accepting your body the way it is? Sure, let’s get fit and healthy, but perhaps we, in the fitness industry, also need to provide tools to help you learn to accept your body in its healthy form. That may not look like what the media images show us. That may look jiggly, wiggly, skinny, boney, muscley, not muscley, dimply or sleek. Health and fitness can come in all shapes, sizes, curves and glory. We need to start embracing and loving all silhouettes.

Why are we not teaching that? We were missing the point. 

But not any longer.

When sledgehammers meet scales, magic happens and programs like Screw the Scale can help us move past the numbers and towards self and body-love. The good news? I’m not alone on this mission, I have a band of women teaching this right along with me. 

About 100 women participated in our 8-week Screw the Scale program and I wish I could explain to you how humbling it is to hear how a program that came from my heart has impacted so many women. When I get pulled aside and told that this program helped you become a more patient, more energized, more loving Mother or that you can finally look in a mirror and love yourself, please know I am so grateful for your words. Your words are why I do what I do. Your words constantly inspire me to do more, give more.

Knowing that you’re taking the time for fitness and putting your health and self-love on your priority list is a beautiful thing. Learning that you’re happier, healthier and teaching your kids about the importance of fitness and body acceptance, well, that’s everything to me. So, thank you.

It’s beyond humbling. It’s beyond stunning. It’s beyond all my far-fetched dreams and expectations. 

So, How did the events go? Well…there were sledgehammers, scales, workouts, cheering, laughing, crying. There were so many emotions and so much love at each of the three events, I left feeling breathless, inspired and humbled. 

The energy of women bashing scales is phenomenal. Powerful. Beautiful. Even in the smaller groups, the energy put through the sledgehammer into the scale was exciting and…riveting. It went beyond the physical smashing and many women had a serious cry sesh shortly after. If we can help women step off the scale and learn that they’re so much more than that stupid number, I will celebrate and #dancedammit for the rest of my days. 

Trust me when I tell you that you’re worth it. You have strength. You have power. You are not defined by the numbers on your scale. I will help you raise your sledgehammer to your scale and bash it with the beauty and strength you have inside of you. Screw the scale, Mamas…you’re so much more than a number. 

 

Wanna know the coolest part? Me and my Hot Mamas…well…we’re going to continue pushing you to love yourself. This program will be offered at a franchise near you, just check in with them! And, if you don’t have a Hot Mama franchise near you (you should buy one), our online Screw the Scale program will be launching on May 4, 2017. So, keep watching for the magic…it’s coming. 

Wanna Bash a Scale With Me?

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If you haven’t heard of the latest fitness program I’ve been working on, it’s time for you to listen and listen up good. It’s called Screw Skinny and we launched this 8-week “Strength & Empower” program in February of this year. To say feedback was positive would be a massive understatement! 

*Insert happy dance here*.

Women who have gone through the 8-week in-person Screw Skinny program have had remarkable things to say about learning to reflect on who they are and how strong their bodies are. These women have taken weekly workout and what we call “Love Yourself More” exercises and have started to learn to take the time to love themselves and praise their bodies. 

I’ve combined my knowledge of fitness (yup, PhD in Exercise Physiology over here) with my desire to help women reflect on themselves, their journey and the strength and power their bodies possess…and I created Hot Mama’s Screw Skinny Strength & Empower program. This ain’t your typical fitness program. Not even close. This is ground-breaking fitness programming and I am beyond excited about it. 

The idea came to me in the middle of the night last summer (as most good ideas do) and I’ve been working tirelessly to perfect the program and change women’s lives through fitness, support, love and laughter. We created a #ScrewSkinny video this January and we’re currently wrapping up our first ever session of the 8-week Screw Skinny journey with over 100 Hot Mamas. 

 

The best part? We decided to celebrate the completion of the first ever session of Screw Skinny with some scale bashing events! Oh yeah, baby…we are bashin’ scales up in here. Literally! I hope you’ll join me at these events over the next few days! I’m going to teach a master class for a few of them and then I’m going to pass you a sledgehammer and you can bash your scale.

It’s time to ditch your scale, Mamas. Step off it. Bring it to me. And take a sledgehammer to it. You don’t need it any longer. Your strength,  your power…your WORTH is not based on a number. You are so much more than a number…it’s time you took the time to learn and appreciate you…in all your glory. 

Event Information:

Northern Alberta Scale BashingEvent
April 1, 2017
1pm – 5pm
Click HERE for more information
Contact Tonya for more info.

Central Alberta Scale Bashing Event
April 2, 2017
1pm-3pm
Click HERE for more information
Contact Kyra for more information

Southern Alberta Scale Bashing Event
April 2, 2017
3pm – 5pm
Click HERE for more information
Contact Tara for more information

Even cooler? You know how I’ve been raving and raving about Bulletproof and their Brain Octane Oil, Collagen bites and super amazing coffee? Yeah…they’re sponsoring the event (THANK YOU BULLETPROOF) and we’ll have some giveaways at each event! YAY! Check them out and use promo code “Ohm10” for 10% off your order! Woop! 

Oh…and Mamas…if you haven’t heard…we’re launching an online version of this program called Screw the Scale in LESS THAN A MONTH! Check it out HERE. 

Spring Cleaning Your Fitness Equipment with Pine-Sol Spring Blossom

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Spring. It’s finally here! After an unusually cold winter (for us), I was beyond excited to step outside yesterday and feel some actual heat from the sun. I took to the garden amongst tulip leaves and blooming daffodils and got my hands dirty pulling those pesky winter weeds. And so begins my yearly battle against the weeds. I will own you, weeds, I WILL OWN YOU. 

As I cleaned up my garden yesterday it hit me, it’s time for spring cleaning! Now, most people shudder at the thought of spring cleaning but although the process is somewhat daunting, the end result always feels so good. Wait…that kinda sounds like fitness too, doesn’t it?! You don’t really want to do it, but you know you’re going to feel great afterward, so you might as well just get it done. 

For me, spring cleaning isn’t about cleaning the house or the garage or the walls or the windowsills (my husband takes care of that…with a toothbrush…and yes, I know I’m crazy lucky to have a guy like that!). Spring cleaning is all about my fitness equipment, clothing and shoes! Oh yeah! Spring cleaning means new shoes! See why I love it so much?!

When it comes to fitness, here’s what you need to spring clean:

1) Your treadmill, bike, weights and any other fitness equipment you own. I’m sure you wipe down your equipment every now and then. But, typically, those of us with fitness equipment at home aren’t nearly as stringent about cleaning equipment after each use compared to your local gym. So, it’s time to buckle down and really clean and disinfect your fitness equipment. 

This year I found Pinesol’s Spring Blossom solution and loooooove it. It smells awesome, it has 4x the cleaning action AND it’s pink. What the what? Oh yeah…Spring Blossom Pinesol for the win! I dilute it in a spray bottle and hit my home gym with my bottle o’ Pinesol, a few cloths and my determination. I wipe down EVERYTHING. My entire treadmill from top to bottom, all of my weights, my weight rack, my BOSU (top and bottom), my steps, my TRX handles. Every nook, every cranny, every handle on every piece of tubing! If you touch it, you clean it! 

2) Your yoga mat. Be careful about cleaning your yoga mat with anything more than vinegar and water. This piece of equipment needs a little gentler touch, so simply put a solution of 1:1 water to vinegar and spray it down. You may want to add a few drop of essential oil (I like Soulful Sister’s Bitchy Babe) to the solution, but check with the manufacturer of your mat. 

Give your mat a good spray with your solution and let it sit for a few minutes. Simply wipe the grime away and then let your mat dry. You may want to repeat the spray down, wait and wipe routine a few times, depending on when the last time you cleaned your mat was.

3) Your fitness clothing. Now, I’m certain you wash your fitness clothing quite a bit, but it’s time to spring clean your fitness wear. And by spring clean, I mean it’s time to get rid of the clothing you no longer wear. Further, it’s time to get rid of the clothing you know you should no longer be wearing (hello hole in the crotch).Working out is hard work and your clothing takes a beating, it’s time to let go.

Listen, I know they’re your favorite pants, but the elastic is shot and there’s a hole in the crotch. Just let go, Mama. You can do it. Just let go. Be ruthless. If you haven’t worn it in the last year, get rid of it. Sell it if it’s still of good quality and make a little cash towards a new favorite pair of workout tights. If your clothing is simply worn out, take the scissors to it and cut them up into cleaning cloths. Some of the best bathtub scrubbers I have are old exercise tights. They’re wicked cleaning cloths!

4) Your running shoes. This one is pretty simple. Most likely at this point, you need new shoes. Your running shoes are the most important piece of fitness equipment you have. So, invest in a good pair. If you’re not sure if you need new kicks, take your shoes to a reputable running shoe store and they’ll let you know. Be sure you get a gait analysis so that you’re put into the correct sneaker for your foot.So many injuries and so much muscle and joint soreness can be avoided with proper footwear. So, do yourself a favor, even though you love the color of your shoes from last year, your body may be in dire need of some new kicks. Let go of the idea that your running shoes need to look cute…and be sure to get the right shoe for your body. 

So, there you have it. That’s how I spring clean. Grab your rubber gloves, your Spring Blossom Pinesol, your vinegar and water and your ruthless attitude and hit your fitness equipment and fitness wear with determination. Disinfect everything and dispose of what you don’t use, or what you shouldn’t wear! Start your spring off fresh and clean by taking care of your equipment, your clothing and your feet. New shoes for everyone! And…go!